It is well-known in the art of automated process control to provide a process controller, such as a programmable logic controller or computer, for monitoring signals output by one or more sensors each configured to detect a process parameter and to provide to the controller a signal indicative thereof. The controller periodically records the signals output by the sensors for subsequent retrieval and analysis. If the controller includes a display, one or more plots or traces of the signals output by one or more of the sensors can be generated on the display to provide a dynamic visual indication of the process parameters being sensed by the sensors having their outputs displayed on the traces displayed on the display.
A problem with displaying traces corresponding to the output of sensors which monitor parameters of a process is that the selection of the vertical axis and the corresponding trace or traces to be displayed in connection therewith can be time consuming. In addition, confusing combinations of trace selections may result in the display of one or more graphs having confusing combinations of magnitude and/or units of measure, such as temperature, pressure, pH, conductivity, etc.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of ordering the outputs of process sensors to be displayed on two or more graphs of a display as a function of a user selection of the sensor outputs to be displayed and the assignment of a unit of measure for each selected sensor and, more particularly, as a function of the number of sensor outputs per unit of measure. Still other objects of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description.
Accordingly, I have invented a method capable of displaying outputs of a plurality of process sensors on two or more graphs of a visual display. The method includes selecting in a desired order a plurality of sensors having outputs that are to be displayed by traces of two or more graphs of a visual display. The plurality of sensors selected is greater than the plurality of traces that can be displayed by each graph alone. A unit of measure is associated with each selected sensor and the sensors are grouped according to the units of measure. A first axis of a first graph is associated with the unit of measure of a first group of sensors, and outputs of the sensors of the first group are associated with traces of the first graph. A first axis of a second or greater number of graphs is associated with the unit of measure of a second or greater number of groups of sensors, and outputs of the sensors of the second or greater number of groups are associated with traces of the second or greater number of graphs. Traces associated with the outputs of the sensors are displayed on the first graph and the second or greater number of graphs as needed.
Preferably, each sensor in a group is ordered therein according to the order of its selection.
When the number of sensors of a third group of sensors is less than or equal to a number of traces of the first graph not associated with outputs of the sensors of the first group of sensors, a second axis of the first graph is associated with the unit of measure associated with the third group of sensors. The outputs of the sensors of the third group are associated with traces of the first graph not associated with outputs of the sensors of the first group. When the number of sensors of a fourth group of sensors is less than or equal to the number of the traces of the second graph not associated with outputs of sensors of the second group of sensors, a second axis of the second graph is associated with the unit of measure associated with the fourth group of sensors. The outputs of the sensors of the fourth group are associated with traces of the second graph not associated without outputs of the sensors of the second group.
When the number of sensors of the first group of sensors exceeds the number of traces that can be displayed on the first graph, a second axis of the second graph is associated with the unit of measure of the first group of sensors. The outputs of the sensors of the first group are associated with traces of the second graph not associated with outputs of the sensors of the second group of sensors.
Each grouping of sensors can include one or more sensors.
I have also invented a method of ordering and displaying the outputs of a plurality of process sensors on a plurality of time-based graphs displayed on a visual display. The method includes displaying on a visual display a first graph which is capable of displaying a first plurality of traces and a second graph which is capable of displaying a second plurality of traces. A list of sensors is generated and each sensor in the list is associated with a unit of measure that each sensor is configured to detect. The sensors in the list are grouped according to units of measure. A first axis of the first graph is associated with the unit of measure of a first group of sensors and a first number of the first plurality of traces are associated with a like number of sensors of the first group of sensors. A first axis of the second graph is associated with the unit of measure of a second group of sensors and a first number of the second plurality of traces is associated with a like number of sensors of the second group of sensors. Traces corresponding to the outputs of the associated sensors are displayed on the first and second graphs.
A second axis of the first graph is associated with the unit of measure of a third group of sensors. A second number of the first plurality of traces is associated with a like number of sensors of the third group of sensors. Preferably, the sum of the first number of the first plurality of traces and the second number of the first plurality of traces is less than or equal to the total of the first plurality of traces.
A second axis of the second graph is associated with the unit of measure of a fourth group of sensors. A second number of the second plurality of traces is associated with a like number of sensors of the fourth group of sensors. Preferably, the sum of the first number of the second plurality of traces and the second number of the second plurality of traces is less than or equal to the total of the second plurality of traces.
I have also invented a method of plotting traces of data on two or more graphs, wherein each trace is related to the output of a process sensor. The method includes generating a list of sensors and grouping the sensors according to a unit of measure each sensor is configured to detect. One axis of a first graph is associated with the unit of measure of a first group of sensors and one axis of a second graph is associated with the unit of measure of second group of sensors. Each sensor of the first group is associated with the trace to be displayed on the first graph and each sensor of the second group is associated with the trace to be displayed on the second graph. The traces are displayed on the first and second graphs, with each trace being related to the output of a sensor over time.
I have also invented a method of displaying outputs of a plurality of process sensors on a visual display capable of visually displaying two or more graphs. The method includes selecting in a desired order a plurality of sensors having outputs that are capable of being displayed by traces of two or more graphs of a visual display, where the plurality of sensors selected is greater than the plurality of traces that can be displayed by each graph alone. A unit of measure is associated with each selected sensor and the sensors are grouped according to the units of measure. An axis of one graph is associated with the unit of measure of one group of sensors and the outputs of the sensors of the one group of sensors are associated with traces of the one graph. An axis of another graph is associated with the unit of measure of another group of sensors when the plurality of sensors is greater than the plurality of traces that can be displayed by the one graph and the outputs of the sensors are of the other group of sensors are associated with traces of the other graph. The traces associated with the outputs of the sensors on the graphs are displayed on the display.
Lastly, I have invented a method of ordering and displaying the outputs of a plurality of process sensors on a plurality of time-based graphs displayed on a visual display. The method includes displaying on a visual display a plurality of graphs with each graph capable of displaying a plurality of traces. A list of sensors is generated and each sensor in the list is associated with a unit of measure each sensor is configured to detect. The sensors are grouped in the list according to units of measure. At least one axis of each graph is associated with the unit of measure of a group of sensors. A number of the plurality of traces of each graph are associated with one or more outputs of a like number of sensors of a group of sensors. The traces corresponding to the outputs of the associated sensors are displayed on each of the plurality of graphs.